HAVERFORD – When round one of the 2013 U.S. Open at Merion Golf Club’s East Course finally went into the books Friday morning, Phil Mickelson, who had held the first-round lead for much of a stormy Thursday, did end up as the solo leader with his 3-under 67.

Luke Donald, who had surged to the top of the leaderboard at 4-under on the strength of three straight birdies when darkness fell on the Ardmore section of Haverford Township Thursday, still had the brutal Back Five at Merion to navigate and bogeys at 16 and 18 dropped him back to 2-under.

Donald was joined at 2-under 68, a shot back of Mickelson, by journeyman pro Matthew Goggin.

Nicholas Colsaerts, the Belgian bomber, and Scotland’s Russell Knox were another shot back at 1-under 69.

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It seemed rumors that the 6,996-yard, par-70 East Course had lost its relevance proved unfounded. Only those five atop the leaderboard broke par. There were far more broken hearts.

West Chester native and 2003 U.S. Open champion Jim Furyk finished with a 77. He was joined at the figured by 2011 PGA champion Keegan Bradley, 2009 PGA champion Y.E. Yang and 2011 FedEx Cup winner Bill Haas. Ten players failed to break 80.

The 1-2-3 grouping of Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Adam Scott ended up at 3-over, 3-over and 2-over, respectively. And Woods needed to chip in for birdie from just off the green on the tough, par-4 18th to finish at 73.

Charl Schwartzel, the 2011 Masters champion, led a large group of players who finished the way they started, at even-par.